Waltershausen/Bleicherode
Swastikas and fire: Concern after attacks on Thuringian politicians
Bleicherode: Swastikas and the inscription “Sieg” are smeared on the constituency office of Thuringia’s state parliament president Birgit Pommer (Left).
© DPA
Windows of constituency offices are smashed, swastikas are emblazoned elsewhere. And one family narrowly escapes disaster. Several attacks against politicians are causing concern in Thuringia.
Stone throwing, swastikas and a fire: The attacks on a residential building and several constituency offices, some of which belong to prominent Thuringian state and local politicians, have caused concern. “Violence and destruction are not protests. They are directed against our democracy – and against people,” said State Parliament President Birgit Pommer (Left) on Tuesday.
Swastikas were daubed on her constituency office in Bleicherode. According to police, a fire was set on the house of a local SPD politician in Waltershausen near Eisenach. The windows of several SPD offices in Suhl had previously been broken – including that of the Bundestag member and Olympic biathlon champion Frank Ullrich.
Fire accelerant found in attack in Thuringia
The SPD local politician Michael Müller, whose house unknown people set fire to on Monday night, told the German Press Agency: “There were no specific threats against me, I have no enemies.” According to his own statements, Müller is deputy chairman of the SPD local association and the state party council. He is very committed in Waltershausen, including organizing a demonstration against right-wing extremism at the beginning of February.
The police are investigating serious arson in all directions, said State Interior Minister Georg Maier (SPD) to the dpa. Fire accelerant was also found on site. “We cannot rule out a political motive; that has to be taken into account.” It is particularly worrying that such an attack would result in the death of people. “This is a dimension that we haven’t had before.” With a view to further attacks on politicians, Maier said: “There is currently a blurring of boundaries that is remarkable.”
Thuringia’s Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow wrote on the platform The Vice President of the Bundestag, Katrin Göring-Eckardt (Greens), who comes from Thuringia, told the editorial network Germany: “This arson attack has endangered human lives.” Attacks like this are also attacks on democracy. “They are intended to intimidate and prevent people from participating in politics.”
The house is his home, but he also rents it out when he is on the road, Müller continued. On the night in question, a family with a baby was staying in the house. “Luckily they noticed the fire quickly. It’s a wooden house, a few minutes later it would definitely have been a full fire.” Now the host family’s facade and car have been damaged. “Of course that scares me,” said Müller. It is absurd that he travels partly through Afghanistan but is now afraid to lie in his own bed. “I just need time to process this now.”